Hadleigh town council officers have accepted an extraordinary meeting was incorrectly called and had to be abandoned as it was not legal.

The validity of the meeting, which had been called to discuss the controversial cemetery extension and the council's terms of reference, was questioned by councillor Andrew Knock who asked chairman Rolf Beggerow who had called the meeting, as legally only the chair, or two councillors, could ask for an extraordinary meeting.

Cllr Beggerow said at the time that the meeting had been called by the town clerk Wendy Brame. Cllr Knock pointed out that was against standing orders, and standard regulations and the meeting was subsequently called off as a precaution against any wrong doing.

It was later claimed the meeting was called legitimately, however, draft minutes now confirm that the meeting was adjourned as it had been called by officers, contrary to the regulations, therefore any decisions taken would not have been legal.

The draft minutes, published on the town council website state:

"Councillor Knock asked who had convened the meeting. The Chair replied that Council Officers had.

In the absence of the Town Clerk, the Town Council Manager advised that as she had been on leave when the meeting was called, returning the day before the meeting she was unable to answer the question.

The Town Council Manager advised that as it was unclear who had convened the meeting, any decisions made at an incorrectly convened meeting would not be legally binding, and that the meeting should be adjourned."

Hadleigh town mayor subsequently admitted that Cllr Beggerow, cancelled the meeting after it transpired it had been called by the town clerk Wendy Brame, despite not having the power to do so.

He said: "The town clerk had to absent herself due to a family emergency, and in her absence, neither the chair nor the TCM could respond with confidence to the challenge.

"She has now been able to show councillors the chain of emails that establish the chair's consent to an emergency meeting, and she did not summon the meeting on her own authority only.

"It therefore was lawfully called, but in her absence this could not be demonstrated, and prudence required that the meeting be abandoned."

However, the draft minutes confirm the chairman had not called the meeting, and despite later claiming he was aware of the need for the meeting to be held, the correct decision and been made to adjourn.

Concerns were also raised at the full council meeting in July when a decision by the town clerk to not hold a meeting to discuss standing orders, went against councillors that had agreed the item should be heard by the Council Matters committee.

Red faced councillors abandon meeting.